Shock-absorber.



G. W. COOPER.

SHOCK ABSOR ATIoN man SER.

SEPT. 24, 2915.

APPLIC Patented Muy 9, 1910.

w, H0 m6 MW we m, m G

WIT/VESSES:

A TTOH//EVS lww /7 UNITED STATES PATENT-oies? GEORGE WASHINGTON COOPER, or PERRY, oKLAHoMa- 1 SHOCK-ABSORBER.

To (all Iwhom 'it may concern Be'it known that I, GEORGE XV. COOPER, f a citizen of the United States', and a resident of Perry,"in the county of Noble'and State f`-f Oklahoma, have invented :t certain new and useful vImprovement in Shock-Absorbers,"of which the following is a specificatioiix -Thisinvention relates to an improvement f`-ifn 1shock absorbers and spring tension equalizers, and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of the class'de'scribed, adapted to take up and absorlrfshocks and rebounds im `)arted to the springs 'f a vehicle, and to su due and contro'li'the side sway of the springs, thus eas-A inglaid'cushioning the motion of the vehicle and'iidding 'greatly to the comfort and enjoyiinto'f its passengers.

Another object of the invention is to providefia 'device of the class described, in the nature of'a friction retained plate or disk, rotatatdy,l connected with a fixed element suchian axle, 'and being coupled by means 2556i afiis or rods withthe vehicle springs in Such""maI'1ner as to be rotated or shifted agailst'the action of friction upon the deressi'n "or swaying movement of one or othfsprings, whereby to absorb the shocks SOndfZ-rebounds and to equalize the strain on the springs.

Afstll further object of the invention is to prirvide' a. device ot' the class described which-will be extremely simple, durable, efli With "these and other' objects in View whiohwill hecomeapparent as the descriptioniiec'eeds, the invention resides in the 4o cnstric'ton, combiiritien, and `arrangements of artsghereinaftcr more fully described and Ifelaiined and illustrated in the accompanying drawing inwhich like characters of referene in'dicatejlike parts throughout the Figure `1 represents a bottom pla-n view of la. shockiabsorber constructed according to 4my invention showirrgthefsame'es' in plne on ari-'automobile Fig. 2 represents a view 5o in sectioh taken vertically on the plane indicatedby th line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing'. the device as r'tght side up. Fig.

3 represents a view in sec ion through one of 'the extensions. Fig. 4 represents a composite Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 24, 1915. vSerial No. 52,368.

view in perspective showing the. members of the device separated.

The device is intended and adapted to be used on vehicles of various kinds, such as road machines, buggies, wagonsstrucks, autoznobiles, carriagls, all types of railroad rolling stock, and indeed any vehicle with which it is capable of being used, It is designed to be utilized. in connection with various characters and `shapes of springs, such as body springs, seat springs, axle springs, and the like. The embodimentl shown in the drawing will serve to illustrate the construction and prinoipleof operation of the device.

The fixed element in the nature of a vehicle axle is indicated at 5, and the vehicle body frame is indicated at 6, said body and axle being connected by a suitable. spring suspension indicated at 'i'. Arranged upon the axle is a friction element consisting of upper and lower .fixed plates 8 and tively, embracing a rotatable friction plate 10 between them. The plates -8 and. 9 may be circular in formation, as indicated in the drawing, or may be of other desired configuration, and they are each provided at diametrically opposed points with extensions' 11,. The friction plate or disk 10 like- Wise is preferably cireuiar'in formation and is arranged Within a rabbet 12 formed on the upper face of the lower plate around the edge thereof. When in assembled position the friction plate or disk 1U ,is arranged within the rabbet 12 and the plate 8 is then disposed on top of the disk with the exten-A sion 11 of said plate 8 restinf-r upon extension 11 of the lower plate 9. c,FIhe rabbet 12 is slightly deeper than plate 10 is thick, and arranged in channels 13 and Mprovided respectively in the lower and upper plates 9 and 8, are rings or washers 15 of fiber or other suitable material, and these rings extend iislightly beyond the adjacent faces of tl@ plates and frictionall f e11gageagainst the disk 10 as shown in the drawing.

Extending through openings provided at spaced intervals through the plates 8 and 9 within 'the space encompassed by the disk 10, is a plurality of lag screws or other suit able adjusting eiernents 16, The plates 8 and 9 may be adjusted toward oraway from the disk 10 for varyin ",the frictional en` gagement of the fiber' iashers against the said d isk.

9 respee- The friction device consisting of plates 8, 9, andlO is, as indicated in the drawing, provided centrally with a conical opening,r 17 for the reccptionof the gear housing ordinarily formed on the rear axle casing of an automobile, whereby the device may be connected upon the rear axle of a motor vehicle beneath the same in the manner indicated.

The friction plate 1() is provided at diametrically opposed points and approxi mately at right angles to the extensions 1l with outwardly projecting cars or lugs 18 which are hollowed or recessed at their upper surface. Upon cach of these ears 18 is secured by means of a bolt or other suitable device, a block or plate 19 conforming in shape to the ear 18 and similar to the latter provided on its lower surface with a recess or cavity. The ears and blocks are provided with recessed or cutaway portions 20 extending from the depressions or cavities to the periphery, and into which the inner ends of the rods or bars 21 extend. At their inner ends these bars are each provided` with a ball 22 which rests within the socket formed by the ear 18 and block 19. A ball and socket joint is thus provided between the rods and the friction plate 10. "lhese rods as clearly indicated in the drawing, ex tend in opposite directions, and are inclined upwardly to connect at their onteiends by means of ball and socket joints 22 with the body frame 6. The points at which the rods are connected with the friction plate, lie preferably on opposite sides of a lhxeextending centrally through the frictioni de,

vice and lying parallel with the median line of the vehicle body. The disposition of the connecting points of the friction plate and' rod may, of course, be varied and adjusted to suit the conditions in separate instances. It has been found, however, thatsuch an arrangement as I have disclosed, is an advantageous one.

Upon depression of the body frame toward the axle or vice versa, incident to the.

contact of the vehicle wheels with an obstruction or impediment in the roadway, the outer ends of arm 21 will be shifted downwardly, thns moving the inner el'ds of the arm toward the central longitudinal line of the vehicle, and hence rotating or shifting the plate 10 against the action of friction, relatively7 to the stationary plates 8 and 9, and thus the initial shock and subsequent rebound will be absorbed and diminished, and an easy cushioning motion attained. Should one side of the vehicle body be depressed to a greater .extent than theother, the strain will be transmitted through the rods and friction device to the other side of the body frame and hence to the spring adjacent the said other side 0f the body frame, whereby to sonic degree depress said spring, so that a distribution and equalization of the strain between the spring suspension on each side of the body will result. The device acts similarly in maintaining the springs against undue sidewlse sway, caused bythe oscillation of the vehicle body relatively to the axle, and hence the side motion and swinging and jerking of the vehicle will be eased, and to a great extent eliminated. Through the extensions 11 at each end of the device, extend suitable elements in the nature of bolts or clips 23, by means of which the device is connected with the axle casing.

AUthough I have described the preferred embodiment of in y invention, I may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts thereof, as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

1. In a shock absorber,-the combination of spaced elements having spring suspension between them, a friction device connected with one of the elements and consisting of upper and lower stationary plates, an intermediate rotatable friction plate arranged between the upper and lower plates, means disposed between the upper and lower plates and the friction plate for frictionally `engaging the latter, means whereby the uprintensity of the frictional pressure thereon,

a' pair of oppositely disposed upwardly inv'clined rods, ball and socket joints connecting the inner ends of the rods with the fric# tion plate at diametrically opposed points,

and ball and socket joints connecting the outer end of the rod with the other element.

2. In a shock absorber, the combination' of spaced elements having springs connecting them, a friction device connected with one element and including a pair of stationary plates, and a rotatable friction plate engaged between them, a pair of oppositely `disposed and upwardlyY inclined rods, ball and socket joints connecting the inner ends of said rods with the friction plate at diametrically opposed points, and ball and socket joints connecting the upper ends of said rods with the other element.

3. In a shock absorber, the combination of spaced elements having cushioning: means between them, a friction element fixed with relation to one element and including a movable frictionally retained plate, anda plurality of rods pivotally connectedadja-v e cent to their inner ends with the frictionl connecting them.l a friction device conm-ut'- Pf lo one 0f the elements. md fx'ivtiw da vive including; n {ric-tional@ xctzrnm plate, and nppmitfrl f zuxangw! link elements m1 otzllj' conneted :et feir inner ends with thv friction pate nml pimtully connected adju (re/n their outer endg with the other ehm 'HL M snid pat wid] w willen' of the spaccd el@ 5. Jouxs'fox 

